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To say that Fangtasia was a popular club would be an understatement, Sarah decided as she looked over the crowd, watching as people tried to squeeze through non-existent gaps between vampires and humans, making their way to the bar or tables scattered through the club. There didn't seem to be a specific place for a dance floor either, though there was an area cleared of tables, but couples were just dancing – in some cases, the more accurate term was grinding – wherever there was space.

Eric took her to a booth in the back corner, the patron vacating after a quick glare, smiling as he walked away. Sarah sat down and Eric slid into the space opposite her. He took her hand, holding it in one of his as he glanced around at the other patrons, casting a glare at any with wandering eyes.

He didn't really seem to notice the gesture, but Sarah felt a little bit of warmth creep over her skin at the way he seemed to do it without realising, as though he couldn't help himself, as though he was drawn to her.

And she liked it.

Although she didn't really like the way he had tried to pull the vampire property card on her the other night, she sort of liked the way he looked at her as though she were the only woman in the world. He also kept other patrons who looked as though they wanted to get touchy-feely away with a quick glance, a talent that made her very thankful. He had power in Fangtasia, and not just because he was the owner. There was some other feeling, as though he was respected, maybe even feared.

Dangerous.

Though he was showing her a kinder, more charming side of his personality, he was still just as dangerous as she'd originally thought, but that was drawing her to him. She had a feeling that he wouldn't hurt her again, as though that dangerous side was reserved to be used to protect her.

Stop it, she told herself, feeling silly that she'd even toyed with the thought, but that look in his eyes, that little satisfied smile on his lips as she met his gaze had another part of her mind arguing.

Maybe I'm not too far from the truth…

'Would you like anything to drink?' he asked, pulling her out of her warring thoughts, a smirk coming over his lips as he added, 'I promise that we don't just serve TruBlood here.'

She couldn't help but smile. 'I do remember you telling me that this place caters to humans as well as vampires,' she said. 'So, I wouldn't mind a martini.'

'Coming right up,' he said, gaze never leaving hers as he raised his hand slightly, a waitress appearing as though she'd apparated Harry Potter style. 'A martini, Ginger. And do be quick.'

The woman nodded, smiling at Sarah before she walked away quickly, rushing to the bar. Sarah watched her for a moment before she looked back to Eric. 'Why does she have so many bite marks?'

'I'm sure you've heard of fangbangers.'

Sarah flushed, mind flicking back to the night of her car crash. 'Aren't I one?'

'Not yet.'

His voice was rough again, gaze intense, making her heartbeat kick up a notch as heat flooded through her. He'd said it like it was a promise.

And God she hoped he kept it.

'I wouldn't get ahead of yourself Eric Northman,' she said, reigning in her emotions to keep them from betraying her real feelings. 'So far, all I've agreed to do is go on this date with you, nothing more.'

Shit, he cursed himself. Smooth move, Casanova.

He straightened a little. 'I do apologise for being so forward,' he said, throwing her a charming smile. 'I am merely suggesting that one day you might find a man that you decide is the one from you, and he may be a vampire.' And I hope it's me.

She kept her eyes on him for a moment longer, as though searching for something within his gaze. 'You are right,' she agreed, but she didn't quite seem content with his answer. 'He might be.'

He sighed with relief inwardly, glad that he'd covered his blunder, but feeling stupid for making it in the first place. He knew she was going to continue, but was saved when Ginger appeared beside again, placing a martini in front of Sarah with another smile.

'Can I get anything else for you?' she asked.

'No thank you, Ginger. That will be all.'

She smiled again before turning on her stilettos, rushing off once more to attend to other patrons of the club.

Eric watched as Sarah took her glass in hand, taking a sip. He expected her to crinkle her nose or show some other signs of displeasure about the strength of the beverage, but she reacted as though it was water, taking another sip before she placed it back on the table.

A woman who could hold her alcohol. He liked that.

'Most would find that the martini's made here are…strong, to say the least,' he said, staring at her curiously, feeling a little flash of guilt wash through her.

She picked up the toothpick, pulling the olive off with her teeth. 'One of my friends in London was learning how to mix drinks so he could become a barman before I moved here,' she admitted. 'I was one of the guinea pigs on more than one occasion when he was just starting out.'

Eric smirked, watching as she took another sip to hide the ever brightening blush. Without thinking, he reached out, brushing his thumb lightly over her coloured cheeks. 'Why are you embarrassed about drinking?' he asked, head tilting a little to the side.

'I'm not embarrassed about drinking, I'm embarrassed about the things I did after drinking a little too much thanks to more than the standard amounts of alcohol that Mark put in his drinks.'

'Like what?' he asked. 'I'll tell you one of my embarrassing moments if you tell me one of yours. I've worked up a thousand years of embarrassing moments. You can't have more than twenty-two.'

'Twenty-five, actually,' she said. She glanced down for a moment and then quickly at the other patrons, seeming to be checking if someone was listening to their conversation. Though there were many vampires in the club, there was a lot of noise and talk, meaning that they would have to focus on her voice in order to hear, something that they wouldn't do.

Eavesdropping was one of his pet peeves…

'Okay. One time, I ended up on a table with one of my best friends as we sang the Time Warp from start to finish, with dance moves included,' she said, glancing away again, a little smile coming over her lips that made him want to sigh. 'Now it's your turn.'

You got yourself into this, he told himself before he said, 'I got angry with Chow, one of the co-owners of this club and went after him when he walked out of my office, going right into the middle of a Saturday night crowd,' he said.

'Is that all?' she asked. 'That's not embarrassing.'

'It is,' he promised, smiling.

'How?'

'I had foil all through my hair because Pam was bleaching it.'

She smirked, trying to hold back a laugh, but it escaped, the sound more beautiful than he ever could have imagined. This was the Sarah he wanted to see, the carefree woman who was at ease with him, laughing with him as they shared tales of their life.

'Okay,' she said once she'd caught her breath, 'that is quite embarrassing.'

'It took a month for my ego to recover.'

She had almost recovered her composure, but it was shattered at his words, making her laugh until her cheeks hurt, her sides protesting as she tried to breathe. It was contagious, making a grin come over his lips, a laugh rumbling in his chest not only from amusement, but from the sheer joy he felt over her happiness.

The feeling was intoxicating.

'Tell me another one,' he said, leaning forward a little, thumb tracing a light pattern over the back of her hand in the hope to put her further at ease.

She took another sip of her martini, looking to the side for a moment as she thought before meeting his gaze this time. 'I'm going to assume you know what a feather boa is.'

'I have been around a while.'

'Well, I performed a little routine to Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend wearing nothing but a really feathery, black feather boa,' she said, lowering her voice a little as she leant forward, almost as through she were sharing one of her biggest secrets. 'I'm far better than Nicole Kidman according to all of the friends that witnessed it.'

I wish I'd witnessed it, he thought, instantly getting an image of her, a feather boa the only thing obscuring what would have been a perfect view of her body, all sinful curves and creamy skin. Maybe once they'd gotten to that side of their relationship, he could convince her to do a repeat performance…

Stop it, he told himself, just like she said: don't get ahead of yourself.

'Sounds rather raunchy.'

'Oh, it was PG thirteen tops,' she said, glancing to the side, making him laugh as her blush spread from her cheeks to her ears, making them the same bright red. 'I kept all of the really…personal…parts of myself covered.'

He smirked, covering the rush of heat that crashed over him. 'Of course.'

'What?' she said. 'I did.'

'I'm not saying that you didn't,' he said, holding a hand up in defence as he made his expression serious. 'In fact, I'm glad that you did.'

She quirked an eyebrow at him over the rim of her glass. 'Is that your possessive, horny vampire side talking?'

He almost denied it, but decided that she already suspected it anyway. 'Yes, it is,' he admitted, a little smile coming over his lips. 'I'll try to keep it at bay.'

'No.'

The word flew out before she had a chance to stop it. She had to wrap her free hand around her glass to keep from slapping it over her mouth out of surprise, the same surprise that Eric seemed to be feeling, though he contained his expression a little better.

The flush that she had only just managed to rid herself of returned with reinforcements. 'What I mean is, you don't have to, I mean, if you don't want to,' she said, her mind mocking her. Oh great, keep blathering on like an idiot, that's sure to impress him.

'I remember you telling me that it was not a turn on.'

Well, actually…

No, stop it! It is so not a turn on!

But it is kind of sweet in a way…

She forced her internal argument into the corner of her brain, locking it in a little box out of the way, making herself focus on being coherent. 'A couple of years ago, I had a possessive boyfriend. He was the kind of guy who always had to know where I was, who I was with and what I was doing. If I didn't tell him straight away, he'd flip out and accuse me of cheating,' she said, revealing yet another little piece of her life, one that part of her thoughts she should keep locked away, but he already knew her biggest secret. Why would this conversation matter?

She met his gaze, trying to sort out her thoughts. 'With you, it's different somehow. You're not…scary possessive, like he was. You're possessive because you're territorial, and you're just trying to keep other men away from me, but I think you're also possessive because you want to protect me, but aren't quite sure why yet.'